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Butler gets stint with Kent

Kent

State 12th Man
The county, I mean. Any chance someone can tell me how to adjust my username slightly!

Anyway, perhaps an English fan can explain this one for me.

NZ were recently at Kent's home ground and were accused of bowling pitifully short, struggling to adjust to the slope and pitch conditions. They now sign up Ian Butler! Perhaps the most macho, gold chain-wearing pace bowler this side of the West Indies.

Thanks for throwing him in the deep end for us. As long as his back isn't broken over there, he might come back next summer a changed man.
 
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Tim

Cricketer Of The Year
I find that interesting considering they left Butler out of the NZ team because he needed to have the winter off to recover from injury.
I also find it an interesting selection by Kent considering Butler hasn't really established himself as an international bowler yet & his domestic stats are good, but not brilliant.

I assume Bracewell & co did some fast talking with Kent. Anyway good luck to Butler, I hope he takes a few wickets & learns a few things.
 

anzac

International Debutant
I know they had a below strength attack v NZL, but what is their pace attack like & what are the coaches like so far as developing young quicks?????

IMO Butler needs to move from ND in order to face more competition for a starting spot...........it's almost like at 22 yrs of age it's a bit too easy for him to hold down his spot and not have to work on developing his craft..........
 

Tim

Cricketer Of The Year
I found the article on Jacob Oram and the captaincy quite disturbing. He's clearly the next best option after Fleming but he seems to be wanting to shun it.

The other 2 options are McMillan & Vettori....I have serious doubts whether the hot-headed McMillan could lead a side & with Vettori struggling with his bowling he'd be continuously down on confidence.
I still think Vettori could be a good leader providing he gets back to form with the ball. Otherwise, i'm really disappointed that Oram is considering giving away his chase of being the next captain of NZ.
 

anzac

International Debutant
Tim said:
I found the article on Jacob Oram and the captaincy quite disturbing. He's clearly the next best option after Fleming but he seems to be wanting to shun it.

The other 2 options are McMillan & Vettori....I have serious doubts whether the hot-headed McMillan could lead a side & with Vettori struggling with his bowling he'd be continuously down on confidence.
I still think Vettori could be a good leader providing he gets back to form with the ball. Otherwise, i'm really disappointed that Oram is considering giving away his chase of being the next captain of NZ.

where was this????????

you've lost me...............

:huh:
 

anzac

International Debutant
yep got it now..............he has a point

I still think Oram is currently the best option as the next long term captain after Flem gives it away, however IMO the reality is that Flem is likely to be around for a few more years yet - long enough for the current squad & bowling attack to undergo a few more changes & Big Jake may not be required to bowl as much as he does now...........

so far as the short term goes I'd not be pointing the finger at either Vettori or Macca as both of their futures are very much not set in concrete.............

my pick would be Astle - unless they start to draft some new batting blood into the starting lineup & do a RSA re Smith...............
 

Tim

Cricketer Of The Year
Ross Taylor captained the NZ U19's, and the maturity he showed with the bat this season at such an earlier age suggests he could well be Captaincy material further down the line.
 

anzac

International Debutant
Tim said:
Ross Taylor captained the NZ U19's, and the maturity he showed with the bat this season at such an earlier age suggests he could well be Captaincy material further down the line.

he fits my 2nd profile then - and even the first if Oram is still expected to play a major role re his bowling at the time of Flem's departure...........
 

Kent

State 12th Man
We only need to look back at our Lord's team in 1999 to realise how quickly a landscape can change, so it's hard to say who will be the most likely successor when Fleming retires.

Oram seems a pretty uncharismatic guy and likes it that way, so if he just wants to be a good cricketer that's understandable. The Black Caps under 30 that I respect most as canny cricketers and good speakers (regardless of whether I agree with them or not) would be Styris, Bond and McCullum.
 
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Craig

World Traveller
Kent said:
The county, I mean. Any chance someone can tell me how to adjust my username slightly!
Speak to a mod about it!

Personally this is a good chance for him to get some regular cricket and get plenty of overs under his belt and is he is readilly available should he be needed for the Tests (touch wood) if Millys, Martin, Bond or Tuffey or even Oram get injured. And at least this is much better, in all due respect, much better then playing league matches.

BTW would Butler be the first Kiwi to play for Kent?
 

Loony BoB

International Captain
McMillan isn't actually that bad a captain, regardless of his "hot-headedness" when batting. Oram is still obviously the best prospect, though. I wouldn't want Vettori to captain (has he ever captained?). Still, lots of time, as it was pointed out earlier.

Haha, Kent gets Butler. Poor sods. Well, I suppose it can only improve him, I hope, because I personally feel he's probably one of the most overrated bowlers I know of.
 

Rich2001

International Captain
Ok the Kent fans two cents worth.....


* He is replacing Sami while he is away, anyone else think of a quicker bowler avaible? Kent seem to like a out and out quick bowler not to concenered about giving a few runs away with the tight fisted Saggers, Sheriyar etc at the other end.

Yep that's about all I could think of too, I hear though from reports that he is quite a handfull anyway gets more bounce than expected and obviously as stated he is fast, I read somewhere on him that he clocks 90-93mph (148k) regularly, this true? - And above all he is avaible, not many internationals around of good quality and avaible at short notice just for a couple of weeks.

And we signed M Bevan first, Butler I heard is just a back up back up if needed at anytime, but with Symo and Sami away togeter that is going to be highly likely!

He should also enjoy the Kent track to that of the Bristol one he got last summer with Gloucs (could be a reason he impressed last summer? haven't had chance to check stats though) as it has alot more bounce/pace/carry so should suit him.

And finally about the injury maybe the NZ people while at Kent saw an oppotunity with Kent after a fast bowler and NZ wantting:

1 - To give him some match pratice and get him back ready for NZ tours ahead

2 - A checky way to get him into the country as sudden backup when the English boys hammer all your other bowlers out of the game! :p
 
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Kent

State 12th Man
Rich2001 said:
Ok the Kent fans two cents worth.....
Yep that's about all I could think of too, I hear though from reports that he is quite a handfull anyway gets more bounce than expected and obviously as stated he is fast, I read somewhere on him that he clocks 90-93mph (148k) regularly, this true? - And above all he is avaible, not many internationals around of good quality and avaible at short notice just for a couple of weeks.
A couple of weeks? The NZ Herald story I posted says he'll be playing right through until September.

Our NZ radar is notoriously out-of-sync with the rest of the world, but I think we can safely say Butler doesn't get up to 148k often. I saw him bowl a ball at 147 in India, but just the one.

Butler is rather notorious for hitting helmets and faces though. He's often reported as one of those bowlers who batsman find quicker to play off the deck than speed guns suggest.
 

Andre

International Regular
Rich2001 said:
And we signed M Bevan first
From what I've read, Bevan hasn't signed for Kent at this stage, according to his manager. They are exploring it though and it looks the likely scenario.
 

marc71178

Eyes not spreadsheets
Kent said:
A couple of weeks? The NZ Herald story I posted says he'll be playing right through until September.

It's only cover for Sami (who has been pretty destructive) so won't be a long term thing.
 

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